Congress of the Philippines

Senate

House of Representatives

Congress Building

Japanese Schoolhouse

Ayuntamiento

Locations of the historical (blue) and current (red) seats of Congress in Metro Manila.

The two houses of Congress meet at different places in Metro Manila, the seat of government: the Senate meets at the GSIS Building, the main office of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) at Pasay, while the House of Representatives sits at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. The two are around 25 kilometers (16 mi) apart.

• 
  Barasoain Church
• 
  Ayuntamiento de Manila
• 
  Old Legislative Building

The Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan served as a meeting place of unicameral congress of the First Philippine Republic.

After the Americans defeated the First Republic, the US-instituted Philippine Legislature convened at the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros, Manila from 1907 until 1926, when it transferred to the Legislative Building just outside Intramuros. In the Legislative Building, the Senate occupied the upper floors while the House of Representatives used the lower floors.

With the Legislative Building destroyed during the Battle of Manila of 1945, the Commonwealth Congress convened at the Old Japanese Schoolhouse at Sampaloc. Congress met at the school auditorium, with the Senate convening on evenings and the House of Representatives meeting every morning. The Senate subsequently moved to the Manila City Hall, with the House staying in the schoolhouse. The two chambers of Congress returned to the reconstructed Legislative Building, now the Congress Building in 1950. In 1973, when President Marcos ruled by decree, Congress was padlocked. Marcos built a new seat of a unicameral parliament at Quezon City, which would eventually be the Batasang Pambansa Complex. The parliament that will eventually be named as the Batasang Pambansa (National Legislature), first met at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in 1978.

With the overthrow of Marcos after the People Power Revolution, the bicameral Congress was restored. The House of Representatives inherited the Batasang Pambansa Complex, while the Senate returned to the Congress Building. In May 1997, the Senate moved to the newly constructed building owned by the GSIS on land reclaimed from Manila Bay at Pasay; the Congress Building was eventually transformed into the National Museum of Fine Arts. The Senate will eventually move into a new building that they would own in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

Commission on Appointments

Bicameral Conference Committee

The powers of the Congress of the Philippines may be classified as:

General Legislative

It consists of the enactment of laws intended as a rule of conduct to govern the relation between individuals (i.e., civil laws, commercial laws, etc.) or between individuals and the state (i.e., criminal law, political law, etc.)[4]

Implied Powers

It is essential to the effective exercise of other powers expressly granted to the assembly.

Inherent Powers

These are the powers which although not expressly given are nevertheless exercised by the Congress as they are necessary for its existence such as:

• to determine the rules of proceedings;
• to compel attendance of absent members to obtain quorum to do business;
• to keep journal of its proceedings; etc.

Specific Legislative

It has reference to powers which the Constitution expressly and specifically directs to perform or execute.

Powers enjoyed by the Congress classifiable under this category are:

• Power to appropriate;
• Power to act as constituent assembly; (for drafting an amendment to the constitution upon a vote of three-fourths of all its members)
• Power to impeach; (to initiate all cases of impeachment is the power of the House of Representatives; To try all cases of impeachment is the power of the Senate.)
• Power to confirm treaties;(Only the Senate is authorized to use this power.)
• Power to declare the existence of war; (The Senate and the House of Representatives must convene in joint session to do this.)
• Power to concur amnesty; and
• Power to act as board of canvasser for presidential/vice-presidential votes. (by creating a joint congressional committee to do the canvassing.)
• Power to contempt
• Blending of power
• Delegation of power
• Budgetary power
• Power to taxation

Executive

Powers of the Congress that are executive in nature are:

• Appointment of its officers;
• Affirming treaties;
• Confirming presidential appointees through the Commission on Appointments;
• Removal power; etc.

Supervisory

The Congress of the Philippines exercises considerable control and supervision over the administrative branch - e.g.:

• To decide the creation of a department/agency/office;
• To define powers and duties of officers;
• To appropriate funds for governmental operations;
• To prescribe rules and procedure to be followed; etc.

Electoral

Considered as electoral power of the Congress of the Philippines are the Congress' power to:

• Elect its presiding officer/s and other officers of the House;
• Act as board of canvassers for the canvass of presidential/vice-presidential votes; and
• Elect the President in case of any electoral tie to the said post.

Judicial

Constitutionally, each house has judicial powers:

• To punish its Members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of all its Members, suspend or expel a Member
• To concur and approve amnesty declared by the President of the Philippines;
• To initiate, prosecute and thereafter decide cases of impeachment; and
• To decide electoral protests of its members through the respective Electoral Tribunal.

Miscellaneous

The other powers of Congress mandated by the Constitution are as follows:

• To authorize the Commission on Audit to audit fund and property;
• To authorize the President of the Philippines to fix tariff rates, quotas, and dues;
• To authorize the President of the Philippines to formulate rules and regulations in times of emergency;
• To reapportion legislative districts based on established constitutional standards;
• To implement laws on autonomy;
• To establish a national language commission;
• To implement free public secondary education;
• To allow small scale utilization of natural resources;
• To specify the limits of forest lands and national parks;
• To determine the ownership and extent of ancestral domain; and
• To establish independent economic and planning agency.

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• Preparation of the bill

The Member or the Bill Drafting Division of the Reference and Research Bureau prepares and drafts the bill upon the Member's request.

• First reading
  1. The bill is filed with the Bills and Index Service and the same is numbered and reproduced.
  2. Three days after its filing, the same is included in the Order of Business for First Reading.
  3. On First Reading, the Secretary General reads the title and number of the bill. The Speaker refers the bill to the appropriate Committee/s.
• Committee consideration / action
  1. The Committee where the bill was referred to evaluates it to determine the necessity of conducting public hearings.

  • If the Committee finds it necessary to conduct public hearings, it schedules the time thereof, issues public notices and invites resource persons from the public and private sectors, the academe, and experts on the proposed legislation.
  • If the Committee determines that public hearing is not needed, it schedules the bill for Committee discussion/s.

  1. Based on the result of the public hearings or Committee discussions, the Committee may introduce amendments, consolidate bills on the same subject matter, or propose a substitute bill. It then prepares the corresponding committee report.
  2. The Committee approves the Committee Report and formally transmits the same to the Plenary Affairs Bureau.
• Second reading
  1. The Committee Report is registered and numbered by the Bills and Index Service. It is included in the Order of Business and referred to the Committee on Rules.
  2. The Committee on Rules schedules the bill for consideration on Second Reading.
  3. On Second Reading, the Secretary General reads the number, title and text of the bill and the following takes place:

  • Period of Sponsorship and Debate
  • Period of Amendments
  • Voting, which may be by

  1. viva voce
  2. count by tellers
  3. division of the House
  4. nominal voting

• Third reading
  1. The amendments, if any, are engrossed and printed copies of the bill are reproduced for Third Reading.
  2. The engrossed bill is included in the Calendar of Bills for Third Reading and copies of the same are distributed to all the Members three days before its Third Reading.
  3. On Third Reading, the Secretary General reads only the number and title of the bill.
  4. A roll call or nominal voting is called and a Member, if he desires, is given three minutes to explain his vote. No amendment on the bill is allowed at this stage.

  • The bill is approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Members present.
  • If the bill is disapproved, the same is transmitted to the Archives.

• Transmittal of the approved bill to the Senate

  The approved bill is transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence.

• Senate action on approved bill of the House

  The bill undergoes the same legislative process in the Senate.

• Conference committee
  1. A Conference Committee is constituted and is composed of Members from each House of Congress to settle, reconcile or thresh out differences or disagreements on any provision of the bill.
  2. The conferees are not limited to reconciling the differences in the bill but may introduce new provisions germane to the subject matter or may report out an entirely new bill on the subject.
  3. The Conference Committee prepares a report to be signed by all the conferees and the chairman.
  4. The Conference Committee Report is submitted for consideration/approval of both Houses. No amendment is allowed.
• Transmittal of the bill to the President

  Copies of the bill, signed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and certified by both the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary General of the House, are transmitted to the President.

• Presidential action on the bill

  If the bill is approved by the President, it is assigned an RA number and transmitted to the House where it originated.

• Action on approved bill

  The bill is reproduced and copies are sent to the Official Gazette Office for publication and distribution to the implementing agencies. It is then included in the annual compilation of Acts and Resolutions.

• Action on vetoed bill

  The message is included in the Order of Business. If the Congress decides to override the veto, the House and the Senate shall proceed separately to reconsider the bill or the vetoed items of the bill. If the bill or its vetoed items is passed by a vote of two-thirds of the Members of each House, such bill or items shall become a law.

In the diagrams below, Congress is divided in blocs, with the colors referring to the political party of the person leading that bloc. The blocs are determined by the vote of the member in speakership or Senate presidential elections.

The Senate is composed of the winners of the 2016 and 2019 Senate elections. The House of Representatives is composed of the winners of the 2019 House of Representatives elections. In both chambers, the majority bloc is composed of members generally supportive of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, while the minority blocs are those opposed. In the House of Representatives, there is an independent minority bloc, and 4 vacant seats.

In both chambers, membership in committees is determined by the size of the bloc; only members of the majority and minority blocs are given committee memberships. In the Philippines, political parties are liquid, and it is not uncommon to see party-mates see themselves on different blocs.

The vote requirements in the Congress of the Philippines are as follows:

In most cases, such as the approval of bills, only a majority of members present is needed; on some cases such as the election of presiding officers, a majority of all members, including vacant seats, is needed.

A new session of Congress starts after every House of Representatives election. During the operation of the 1935 constitution as amended in 1940, mid-term elections in the Senate cause its membership to be changed mid-session. From 1945 to 1972, there were two commonwealth congresses and seven congresses of the republic, with the 2nd Commonwealth Congress becoming the 1st Congress of the Republic. During the usage of the 1973 constitution, the Batasang Pambansa was the legislature, with it having two elections. Starting in the 1987 constitution, each Senate election was synchronized with the House elections, with the first congress under that constitution being counted as the "8th Congress", picking up from the last congress of the 1935 constitution.

Per historical era

In operation	Authority	Government	Legislature	Type	Upper house	Lower house
1898–99	Malolos Constitution	First Philippine Republic controlled areas	Malolos Congress	Unicameral	Malolos Congress
	War powers authority of the President of the United States	United States Military Government controlled areas	Martial law; military governor ruled by decree
1900–1902	Malolos Constitution	First Philippine Republic controlled areas	Malolos Congress	Unicameral	Malolos Congress
	Appointment by the President of the United States	United States Military Government controlled areas	Taft Commission	Unicameral	Philippine Commission
1902–1907	Philippine Organic Act	Insular Government of the Philippine Islands	Philippine Commission	Unicameral
1907–1916			Philippine Legislature	Bicameral	Philippine Commission	Philippine Assembly
1916–1935	Philippine Autonomy Act			Bicameral	Senate	House of Representatives
1935–1941	1935 Constitution	Commonwealth of the Philippines	National Assembly	Unicameral	National Assembly
1942–43	War powers authority of the Emperor of Japan	Empire of Japan	Martial law; governor-general ruled by decree
1943–44	1943 Constitution	Second Philippine Republic	National Assembly	Unicameral	National Assembly
1945–46	Amendments to the 1935 Constitution	Commonwealth of the Philippines	Congress (Commonwealth)	Bicameral	Senate	House of Representatives
1946–1973		Third Republic of the Philippines	Congress	Bicameral
1973–1976	1973 Constitution	Philippines under Martial Law	Martial law; president ruled by decree
1976–1978 (never convened)			Batasang Bayan	Unicameral	National Assembly
1978–1986	Amendments to the 1973 Constitution	Fourth Republic of the Philippines	Batasang Pambansa	Unicameral	Batasang Pambansa
1986–1987		Provisional Government	President ruled by decree
1987–present	1987 Constitution	Republic of the Philippines	Congress	Bicameral	Senate	House of Representatives

List of Congresses

Election	Congress	Senate election results		House of Representatives elections results
Pre-1941	See Philippine Legislature and National Assembly of the Philippines
1941	1st Commonwealth Congress		24 Nacionalista		95 Nacionalista 3 independent
1946	2nd Commonwealth Congress		9 Nacionalista (Liberal wing) 6 Nacionalista 1 Popular Front		49 Nacionalista (Liberal wing) 35 Nacionalista 6 Democratic Alliance 3 others
	1st Congress
1947			6 Liberal 2 Nacionalista
1949	2nd Congress		8 Liberal		60 Liberal 33 Nacionalista 7 others
1951			8 Nacionalista
1953	3rd Congress		5 Nacionalista 2 Democratic 1 Citizens'		59 Nacionalista 31 Liberal 11 Democratic 1 independent
1955			9 Nacionalista
1957	4th Congress		6 Nacionalista 2 Liberal		82 Nacionalista 19 Liberal 1 NCP
1959			5 Nacionalista 2 Liberal 1 NCP
1961	5th Congress		4 Liberal 2 Nacionalista 2 Progressive		74 Nacionalista 29 Liberal 1 independent
1963			4 Liberal 4 Nacionalista
1965	6th Congress		5 Nacionalista 2 Liberal 1 NCP		61 Liberal 38 Nacionalista 5 others
1967			6 Nacionalista 1 Liberal 1 independent
1969	7th Congress		6 Nacionalista 2 Liberal		88 Nacionalista 18 Liberal 4 others
1971			5 Liberal 3 Nacionalista
1978, 1984	See Batasang Pambansa
1987	8th Congress	22 Majority–1 Minority	22 LABAN 2 GAD		43 PDP–Laban 24 Lakas ng Bansa 19 UNIDO 16 Liberal 11 KBL 55 coalitions 32 others 14 appointed sectoral seats
1992	9th Congress	23 Majority–1 Minority	16 LDP 5 NPC 2 Lakas 1 Liberal		86 LDP 41 Lakas 30 NPC 11 LP-PDP 32 others 16 appointed sectoral seats
1995	10th Congress	22 Majority–1 Minority	4 Lakas 4 LDP 1 Nacionalista 1 NPC 1 PRP 1 independent	160 Majority–22 Minority	157 pro-administration coalition 26 opposition coalition 12 hybrid coalitions 9 others 16 appointed sectoral seats
1998	11th Congress	22 Majority–1 Minority	5 Lakas 4 LDP 1 NPC 1 PMP 1 PDP–Laban		111 Lakas 55 LAMMP 15 Liberal 25 others 14 party-lists
2001	12th Congress	13 Majority–11 Minority	3 Lakas 2 LDP 1 Liberal 1 PDP–Laban 6 independent	185 Majority–17 Minority	73 Lakas 40 NPC 21 LDP 19 Liberal 52 others 17 party-lists
2004	13th Congress	13 Majority–10 Minority	5 KNP 4 Lakas 2 Liberal 1 PRP	193 Majority–28 Minority	92 Lakas 53 NPC 29 Liberal 15 LDP 20 others 28 party-lists
2007	14th Congress	15 Majority–7 Minority	2 Liberal 2 Nacionalista 2 NPC 2 UNO 1 KAMPI 1 LDP 1 PDP–Laban 1 independent	193 Majority–1 Minority	89 Lakas 44 KAMPI 28 NPC 23 Liberal 11 Nacionalista 23 others 53 party-lists
2010	15th Congress	17 Majority–3 Minority	3 Liberal 2 Lakas–Kampi 2 Nacionalista 2 PMP 1 NPC 1 PRP 1 independent	227 Majority–29 Minority	106 Lakas–Kampi 47 Liberal 29 NPC 25 Nacionalista 22 others 57 party-lists
2013	16th Congress	17 Majority–6 Minority	3 Nacionalista 3 UNA 1 LDP 1 Liberal 1 NPC 1 PDP–Laban	244 Majority–35 Minority	109 Liberal 42 NPC 24 NUP 18 Nacionalista 14 Lakas 27 others 59 party-lists
2016	17th Congress	20 Majority–3 Minority	5 Liberal 2 NPC 1 Akbayan 1 UNA 3 independent	252 Majority–36 Minority	115 Liberal 42 NPC 24 Nacionalista 23 NUP 11 UNA 23 others 59 party-lists
2019	18th Congress	20 Majority–4 Minority	4 PDP–Laban 3 Nacionalista 1 Lakas 1 LDP 1 NPC 1 UNA 1 independent	266 Majority–28 Minority	82 PDP–Laban 42 Nacionalista 37 NPC 23 NUP 18 Liberal 12 Lakas 27 others 61 party-lists
2022	19th Congress	20 Maj–2 Min–2 Ind	4 NPC 1 PDP-Laban 1 Nacionalista 1 Akbayan 1 PMP 4 independent	282 Majority–5 others	66 PDP–Laban 36 Nacionalista 35 NPC 33 NUP 26 Lakas 10 Liberal 47 others 62 party-lists

• Politics of the Philippines
• Senate of the Philippines
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• List of current members of the Congress of the Philippines by wealth

• Ramirez, Efren V. and Lee, Jr., German G., The New Philippine Constitution. Cebu City: 1987: pp. 142–173.
• Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution
• How a Bill becomes a Law
• Legislative History
• Your Legislature

• Official Website of the Senate
• Official Website of the House of Representatives